If you could choose the color for the buildings where you live, what would you choose? How about PINK? Or how about a nice ORANGE? Well, those were the colors the French seem to have liked a couple hundred years ago!

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Monica and I are in Segou, Mali, checking out some of the buildings. The French took over and tuled the people here for a long time and the buildings are proof of it. They're so huge they seem out of place. Plus they are really falling apart and need repair.

Before the French came here, people lived their lives in villages, or they constantly traveled, taking care of their cattle. About 100 years ago several countries in Europe that had powerful armies decided to divide up Africa, and the French took this part. They made the people grow food that the French could sell to make money. They didn't do much to help the people here or educate them.

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Now that the French are gone, these buildings are about all that is left to show it. The people don't even speak French! All the kids here speak Bambara!

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So if you ever get the chance to come visit here and see these colorful buildings, you can learn some French to help you, but you'll need Bambara even more!